Sin, the Plague of Plagues

4. One omission makes way for another; he that under pretence of unfitness to Duty puts it off, makes himself fit for nothing more then to omit again (qui non est hodie, eras minùs aptus erit) he prepares and fits himself to be unfit for, and to omit Duty: much and too long fasting ⟨p. 306⟩takes away and deadens our appetite; he that omits one, is like to omit another, and so another, till he omit all, and give up his very profession, and when that's gone, the mans Religion dies, and he becomes twice dead. Omissions make way for commissions (as it did in our first Parents) and 'twill be worth our while to observe a few Texts that speak of sluggards (from whence sins of omission generally arise) Eccl. 10.18: by much slothfulness the building decays, and through idleness of the hands, the house drops through: it not only lies open to wind and weather, but at last falls down, the repairs being neglected and omitted. Our bodies are called the Temples of God, of which our souls are (as I may say) the Holy of Holies, or as we call it, the Chancel, and 'tis through sloth that this glorious Fabric decays so much, Prov. 18.9. he that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster, he is a man that will come to nothing, and be worse then nought very shortly and speedily; for he is a Prodigal, a spend-thrift, he spends more then he gets, and more then was given him; true, and 'tis as true, that his brother, the slothful man, will not hold out much longer then he: for, Prov. 20.4. the sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold, therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. A Prodigal comes to nothing, and so doth the Sluggard. Love is a laborious thing, we read of the labour of love, 1 Thes. 1.3. and love never grieves to be obedient, 1 Joh. 5. Now idleness argues a defect and want of love; for when the Angel of Ephesus left his first love ⟨p. 307⟩